The Battle of Dong Xoai

Preface

The Battle of Dong Xoai was a series
of battles and air mobile operations carried out by the 118th
Aviation Company(AML) and other elements of the 145th CAB over
a period of about 10 days. This operation was very important in
defining the character and traditions of the 118th. The performance
of the 118th over the 10 day period thrust the 118th into the
spotlight of Army Aviation history. The attributes of valor and
mission accomplishment arose often out of the extended performance
by the men of the 118th. Forever after Dong Xoai, the 118th, as
a unit, became the example that all other helicopter units in
Vietnam had to look up to. The frenzied yet purposed days of action
for the pilots and crews of the 118th and their heavily challenged
maintenance crews, were extremely intense and hazardous....yet
they got the job done!

The 118th Thunderbird motto, "It
Shall Be Done", was proven time after time. The Battle of
Dong Xoai virtually insured the 118th would be emblazoned open
the pages of US Army Aviation history in Vietnam. For years afterwards
the battle cry within the 118th was, "Remember Dong Xoai!"

Combat operations began on 10 June
1965 and lasted until 20 June 1965. The town of Dong Xoai was
situated at the most important road junction in the heart of northern
"War Zone D". The Special Forces had established a hugely
fortified compound that had numerous strong points at strategic
locations, thereby taking the entire area under their command.

Some parts of the fortifications
were still under construction when the first mortar shells awoke
the defenders, within. In fact, the Navy Sea Bees were on site
still doing construction at the time of the attack. The valor
shown by one of their men, Construction
Mechanic 3rd Class Marvin G. Shields, rose to such a high
level that he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal
of Honor.(Follow the link to the Citation)

Likewise, 2nd
LT. Charles Q. Williams, one of the Special Forces Team
members, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his
heroic leadership in preventing the total annihilation of US forces
at Dong Xoai.(Follow the link to the Citation)

Seabee Links and Memorial Web Sites

In honor of her father, CMA3(Construction
Mechanic 3rd Class)Marvin
G. Shields, who was killed at Dong Xoai and received the Congressional
Medal of Honor, Marvin Shields' daughter has created a memorial
web site.(Follow link to the web site)

For interesting and detailed accounts of
the Battle of Dong Xoai as recorded by the Navy Seabees and from
the perspective of the Seabees, go to the Official
Seabee Historical Site

(What follows is a chronology to
try and show what happened and when it took place. Sources used
are listed at the end.(see map above)

CHRONOLOGY

10 June 1965

01:00 -- Bandit stand-by fire
team ordered to Dong Xoai from Bien Hoa by III Corps TOC. This
was a continuing mission for the 118th for many years and could
require flying to anywhere in III Corps.

Two UH-1B gun ships took off within
minutes of being alerted and received their detailed briefings
in the air. They were told the Dong Xoai SF Camp had been under
extremely heavy mortar and small arms fire since midnight.

Remembrance of Ralph Orlando

CWO Ralph Orlando
a Bandit pilot, wrote in his diary : "The Viet Cong force
was estimated at 1500-2000 and had hit Dong Xoai just 40 miles
N. of Bien Hoa. 14 Special Forces were killed and 13 wounded.
The town and compound were in a shambles. At least seven .50
cal machine gun positions were located throughout the area. The
VC even had flame throwers and used human waves of troops to
attack the SF compound."

Garrett Sargent,
door gunner on TDY to the 118th and a member of the "Shot
Gun" Platoon from the 25th Div. remembers: "I remember
we were on stand-by that night and I was on the first two Bandit
gun ships that were called out at 1:00AM to go to Dong Xoai.
We kept dumping our ammo and rockets 'till dawn and the the US
Air Force came in. This went on day after day. I had a jacket
made in Bien Hoa that said, ' I know I'm bound for heaven cause
I spent my time in Hell, Shot gunner in the 118th Avn Co. Bien
Hoa-Vietnam 1965' ."

Aerial view of Dong Xoai Camp(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

01:30 -- Bandits directed to engage
VC upon arrival at Dong Xoai.

The fire team started making firing
passes once they were in position over the town. They were engaged
by the VC as soon as they began firing. The two Bandits kept
up a steady stream of fire to silence the guns surrounding the
SF Compound where all the US and Vietnamese forces had taken
refuge. The fire team leader's helicopter was hit by ground fire
and the pilot was wounded. Once the Bandits were expended, they
left the area returning with the wounded pilot to Bien Hoa.

0430 -- As the Bandit team closed
on Bien Hoa, the entire 118th had been rallied to the "Bird
Cage" and flight crews of the 118th were on the flight line
preparing for the combat assault at day light.

0600 -- All flyable 118th aircraft
departed Bien Hoa for Phouc Vinh, the nearest fortified town
to Dong Xoai, which was the staging area.

Elements of the 1st Bn, 7th ARVN
Regiment were going to make the first assault with the 118th.
Although the tactical situation was extremely confused at Dong
Xoai with only scattered intelligence as to the enemy's strength
and positions, the LZ for the first assault was an open field
two miles north of Dong Xoai and next to the road leading to
the Than Loi rubber plantation. Two more LZs were identified
as suitable also within the vicinity of Dong Xoai.

0800 -- First combat assault into
the LZ in Than Loi rubber plantation begins.

As the formation began its final
approach from the east of Dong Xoai, fire was received, but the
flight was ordered to hold suppressive fire as it was thought,
at the time, that friendly troops or civilians might be in the
LZ. However, they apparently were VC and as soon as the ships
landed the waving people dove into their bunkers and began engaging
the helicopters. After discharging the ARVN troops the flight,
being low on fuel quickly departed and returned to Phouc Vinh
for fuel and replacements. It was later learned that within twenty
minutes after the elements of the 1st/7th ARVN Regiment exited
the aircraft, they were cut down and the unit quickly ceased
to be a fighting unit It was a cruel VC trap.

Remembrance of Ralph Orlando

CWO Ralph Orlando,
a Bandit pilot wrote in his diary: "The lift contained over
125 helicopters. Two LZs were used with the first on the road
N. of Dong Xoai and the second at the rubber plantation. Of the
500+ troops lifted in, about 250 are unaccounted for!"

What is left of Thuan Loi Rubber Plantation
and the water tower.

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

09:00 -- Second combat assault
with reinforcements from Phouc Vinh made into Than Loi airstrip.
Bandits sent ahead to support ARVN troops on the ground. Bandits
intercept 118th flight and provide cover for landing to airstrip.

As the 14 aircraft formation approached
the LZ, a herd of cattle appeared and moved up the strip to the
intended landing spot, causing the lead helicopter to make the
decision to land short. As lead landed a HUGE explosion took
place. It was a signal. Immediately, the entire flight was engulfed
in automatic weapons fire and mortar rounds. The Bandits continued
to roll in and pour rockets and machine gun fire into the tree
lines and buildings along the airstrip as the ARVN were cut down
within steps of exiting the helicopters. One of the Thunderbird
slicks had a mortar round hit just outside of the cockpit causing
it to roll over and explode....killing the entire crew and 2
US and approximately 8 Vietnamese. (see Aircraft Incident Report
UH-1B #63-08557 ) When the
entire formation of 13 remaining aircraft were out of the LZ,
only one aircraft reported no damage!!

More remembrance of Ralph
Orlando

CWO Ralph Orlando,
a Bandit pilot wrote in his diary: "In LZ #2, A Company
of 82nd Avn. Bn, 173rd Airborne Bde(Later redesignated 335th
Aviation Company(AML), had one slick shot down on approach(by
.51 cal). Their pilots were CW2 Raymond C. Galbraith and WO1
Zoltan A. Kovacs and CE and Gunner were PFC's William R. Batchelder
and Walter R. Gray. As slicks landed, land mines exploded and
the area was under mortar fire. As they pulled pitch for takeoff,
a Thunderbird slick with CPT Walter, L. Hall, WO1 Donald R. Saegaert,
SSG Joseph J. Compa, SGT Craig L. Hagen and two paxs on board
lost RPM and crashed into trucks and buildings. The ship burned
to nothing. The troops dropped off here were also wiped out."(See
link to incident report in blue, above)

Two photos showing the crash site of 118th
Thunderbird UH-B at Dong Xoai(65)

(Photo courtesy Jack Grasmeder)

Two photos above of Blue Bird 1 crash site.(65)

(Photos courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

Aerial view of the crash site(upper left)in
the compound.(65)

(Photo courtesy Jack Waters)

10:00 -- Further flights to reinforce
are deemed too risky and are suspended for the time being.

MAJ. Harvey Stewart, CO of the 118th,
ordered remaining aircraft, some with troops aboard, to hold
at Phuoc Vinh. A Bandit fire team had remained over the battle
area to act as radio communications relay and fire support for
the troops, as long as ammo and fuel allowed. Communications
had apparently been lost with the SF Camp and their status was
unknown. The 118th Flight
Surgeon, Dr. Joseph Altomonte, apparently flying as a gunner,
had set up a medical aid station at Phuoc Vinh to treat the ARVN
wounded. He made radio calls for C-130s for medical evacuation
of over 100 ARVN wounded soldiers.

12:00 --Radio message received
by relay through one of the C-130s which was evacuating wounded.

The message was from one of the
Americans in the Dong Xoai SF compound. The message was tragic
and heroic and said, "I amusing my last battery for the radio and there is no
more ammunition; we are all wounded, some of the more serious
are holding grenades with the safety pins already pulled. The
VC are attacking in human waves. The last wave has been defeated
but we are expecting the next wave now."

MAJ. Harvey Stewart, hearing the
desperate SF message, stood and said, "I am going in!"
With that he went to the parked helicopters with five other pilots
and crew members and they climbed into the seats. In the end,
it was decided that three aircraft would depart from Phouc Vinh
for Dong Xoai to rescue the brave soldiers who were holding out
to the last grenade.

Arriving over Dong Xoai, a call
went out over the radio that the SF Compound and surrounding
area was considered a "free strike" area. The Bandits
contacted US Air Force fighter bombers in the region and received
their support. While the US Air Force pounded key areas the Bandits
attacked 1/4 mile south of Dong Xoai at a water crossing. The
VC had concealed two French armored cars captured earlier. The
Bandits had discovered them during a low level recon. Rockets
destroyed them and rendered them useless.

13:00 -- The three 118th "Thunderbird"
aircraft, led my MAJ. Stewart, roar in and land outside the SF
compound. All survivors are rescued!

Moving in from the south, the three
slicks flew fast and low as their door gunners fired at any trace
of VC activity. The Bandits poured suppressive fire beside the
flight paths of the slicks. With complete surprise, they landed
inside the soccer field outside the SF compound as VC stood on
buildings and on the compound walls firing at the aircraft not
more than fifty feet away. One of the door gunners leaped from
one of the aircraft exposing himself to enemy fire. Then firing
his M-14, he ran into the SF compound entrance and led the last
defenders(9 wounded Americans and 8 Vietnamese)back to the waiting
helicopters. He was awarded the DFC for his act of valor. Within
seconds after the three aircraft departed the soccer field, the
area where they had landed exploded in mortar fire and was raked
with large caliber machine guns from all quadrants. The fact
that the helicopter crews were able to successfully complete
their mission can be attributed to the element of surprise and
the daring courage of the 118th pilots. They had exemplified
their motto: "It Shall Be Done"! The three crews were
decorated with one Distinguished Service Cross, five Silver Stars,
one Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals for heroism..

In the afternoon, the 52nd ARVN
Ranger Battalion arrived in Phuoc Vinh. Plans were made by Senior
Advisors to air assault them into Dong Xoai to recapture the
road junction and the SF compound. Other 145th Combat Aviation
Battalion companies had arrived and were prepared to assist the
battle damaged , yet flyable 118th. Being given the honor to
lead the assault, the 118th followed the previous route of flight
and slipped into the soccer field receiving only scattered small
arms fire as they landed. The VC were surprised and apparently
did not expect another daring assault that day. The constant
air strikes and gunship pounding throughout the day allowed the
insertion of the 52nd ARVN Rangers successfully, but with some
losses. The VC hastily prepared a defense around the church in
town, but was slowly defeated. Finally the town and SF compound
were retaken and reoccupied. Dong Xoai was under the control
of the allied forces once again when darkness fell at the end
of 10 June 1965.

Sundown -- The 118th Aviation
Company returned to Bien Hoa after the lift of the 52nd ARVN
Ranger Battalion. The day of heavy fighting had caused the loss
of one entire helicopter crew and aircraft, plus almost every
helicopter having received battle damage. Ten Purple hearts were
award to members of the 118th "Thunderbirds" for the
day, plus the previous mentioned awards for Valor.

11 June 1965

08:00 -- The 118th returns to
Phouc Vinh to carry on the battle with sister elements of the
145th CAB.

A battalion sized combat assault
with the 118th as the lead element carrying 100 paratroopers
of the ARVN 7th Airborne Battalion was safely made into the soccer
field at Dong Xoai. Although fire was expected by the units,,
the Bandits and other armed teams flew low to draw fire from
the enemy prior to the arrival of the slicks. The assault was
successfully completed by elements of the 145th CAB.

All Day -- The "Thunderbirds"
continue to support the return of Dong Xoai to allied hands.

Following the insertion of the ARVN
7th Airborne Bn, the 118th immediately began to perform large
scale medical evacuation of ARVN casualties. Hostilities were
slowly coming to a halt except for isolated and rear guard actions
as the VC disappeared into the surrounding jungle. The wounded
were brought to the soccer field and then evacuated back to Phuoc
Vinh were the 118th's own flight surgeon had set up a medical
aide station. The Doctor, Joseph Altomonte, had been working
for over forty hours with little rest, yet the seriously wounded
were treated by medical personnel who were overwhelmed with work.
At one time there were over 200 wounded awaiting treatment at
Phuoc Vinh. Many lives were saved. The day ends with no major
battles being fought.

Eyewitness Rememberance of
Ralph Orlando

CWO Ralph Orlando, a Bandit
pilot wrote in his Diary: "Today was the worst day in Vietnam,
to date! The mission we had was a volunteer deal to get the bodies
of the men killed two days prior. Major Stewart and I were in
a slick. The Major was in the right seat. Quatsie was the crew
chief and LT Scott the gunner."(LT Scott was the Commander
of the Door Gunner Platoon which was made up of volunteers from
the 25th Division in Hawaii who came to Vietnam for 3 months
TDY's to serve as Door Gunners).

"I think we put more stress
and strain on that chopper today than Bell test pilots do. We
left Bien Hoa at 1300 and picked up Dragon 36(from 197th Aviation
Company, Bien Hoa)and his heavy fire team(gun ships) at Phouc
Vinh. We contoured(low level)the terrain along with the fire
team up to Dong Xoai. Upon landing near the destroyed compound,
we were told that Red Hat 7(apparently the American Advisor)
was at LZ #1 with 20 ARVN bodies and would not move until the
bodies were taken away first So here we are, one slick hauling
20 bodies in shifts."

"After the bodies were removed
to Dong Xoai, the troops moved to LZ #2. When they were a mile
away the VC opened fire on them. They were hit hard and began
to retreat. We advised the American with them to get to a safe
landing spot so they could be picked up. While all this was going
on, the Air Force was bombing the plantation at the landing strip.
An Air Force F-100 was hit and the pilot bailed out into the
rubber trees, 2 Km NW of the plantation. We went to assist him
and another slick went to pick up Red Hat 7. The F-100 pilot
sent up a flare to mark his position, but the nearest place to
him to land was 200 meters away. "

"We made about 3 orbits and
landed without escort or security of any kind. Major Stewart
grabbed his AR-15 and got out and the Gunner, LT Scott followed.
Before leaving, the Major told me to wait a few minutes and if
they did not return by then to leave them since we were almost
out of fuel."

"I waited with Quatsie(Crew
Chief) for five of the longest minutes of my life but then they
appeared from the trees running frantically and panting. The
Major was running with a limp, he looked hit. They dove into
the chopper shouting, "Go-Go-Go". I took off pulling
every bit of pitch that the Bird could in almost a vertical takeoff.
They shouted that the pilot was dead and that they saw the VC
kill him. Dozens of VC that chased them from the woods appeared
as we lifted off. "

"I found out later, we took
two hits. One in the tail boom and one in the oil cooler blades.
The fuel was looking bad, but we made it to Phouc Vinh. The Major
did not get medical attention, he said he would be alright."

"At this time, we heard of a
lift that was on its way to Phouc Vinh. So, we refueled and got
airborne. We tagged along with me now in the right seat. The
weather was looking muchworse every minute with rainstorms and
clouds. The slicks dropped off their troops and now the weather
was really bad. Flights were getting separated, fuel was low
and it was a mess. We finally got back after going IFR a few
times."

(Photos above courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

12 June 1965

All Day -- 118th "Thunderbirds"
continue to support return of Dong Xoai to allied hands.

Again staging from Phouc Vinh, the
118th air lifted elements of the ARVN 1st Bn, 48th Regiment to
Dong Xoai. Their mission was to reinforce the garrison already
located at Dong Xoai. Troop strength on the ground was now approaching
1000. Except for isolated snipers and VC trapped in the town
itself, the main body of the VC had vanished. Only small unit
engagements to place this day. The Bandits and their fire teams
provided continuous fire support to the ground forces and their
advisors. No casualties were experienced by the helicopter crews.
Extensive recon and searching for elements of the ARVN 1st/7th,
committed to the battle on 10 June, confirmed that there were
no signs of the unit!

13 June 1965

After being in continuous operations
for over 72 hours, the 118th still provided the majority of the
aircraft for the assault on this day. Despite casualties and damage
to its aircraft, the 118th was fully operational with volunteer
gunners consisting of clerks, cooks and anyone who wanted to go.

The 118th went to Xuan Loc and picked
up elements of the ARVN 43rd Regiment. 100 soldiers were lifted
into a LZ 1/2 mile N. of the original assault area. Scattered
small arms fire was received from within the vast Than Loi plantation,
but no helicopters sustained damage nor were there any casualties.
This lift was conducted AT NIGHT under minimum lighting. After
the Bandit fire teams searched for the 7th Regiment soldiers and
found nothing, the 118th accomplished the night assault in rapidly
deteriorating weather conditions. Throughout War Zone D there
were thunderstorms and heavy rain reduced visibility. Winds gusted
up to 40 knots making flying extremely difficult. The reinforcements
were finally inserted and the 118th aircraft finally recovered
to Bien Hoa as single ships by 23:30 hours. Many of the aircraft
had but minutes of fuel remaining.

Eyewitness Rememberance of
Ralph Orlando

CWO Ralph Orlando,
a Bandit pilot wrote in his diary: "An A Company, 82nd Aviation Bn ship with CW2 Billy G. Hammer
and WO1 Michael L. Wildes along with SP5 Donald L. Baker and
SSG Kenneth L. Reed were not so lucky. They went IFR and crashed
near Bear Cat. All aboard were killed. Also, an A/501st (Rattler)
ship with Jim Dixon and Bill Gault went IFR and crashed. They
were lucky with Jim only getting a broken leg."

Final Day

20 June, 1965

The Battle of Dong Xoai had its
final chapter on 20 June, 1965. On that date the largest heliborne
operation ever in the III Corps area climaxed the closing of the
battle. The 118th was again chosen to lead the assault of 77 troop
carriers and 40 armed escorts. Staging from Hon Quan, the mission
was to conduct assaults to the area N. of Dong Xoai were recon
and intelligence had indicated a concentration of VC forces in
a rubber plantation. 1,089 paratroopers, the entire 3rd and 8th
ARVN Airborne Battalions were landed by elements of the 145th
CAB. There were no incidents of enemy resistance experienced except
minor damage sustained by a single aircraft from one enemy small
arms round.

EPILOGUE

Presidential Unit Citation

10Jun to 13Jun,
1965 (DAGO 43, dtd 1966)

The 118th Aviation Company(AML)
as well as other elements of the 145th CAB were recommended for
and received a Presidential Unit Citation and the Vietnamese Cross
of Gallantry with two palms. The citation indicates that 2,700
sorties were flown and 3,500 troops were airlifted in the Battle
of Dong Xoai, from 10 through 13 June, 1965.

"MAJ. Harvey Stewart, Commanding
Officer of the 118th was given the singular honor of being the
first Army Aviator chosen to receive the Wright Brothers Memorial
Award as the 1965 Military Aviator of the Year"(page 83,
Army Aviation in Vietnam, 1963-1966 ,by Ralph B. Young)

Summary

from 145th CAB Report

About midnight the VC 762d and 763d
Regiments began a coordinated attack on the town and Special Forces
camp at Dong Xoai with one regimental sized force while another
force positioned itself to ambush all likely routes and LZs for
ARVN reinforcements. At 0100H the standby fire team from the 118th
AVN went to support. At 0230H the CIDG force crumbled and the
Americans withdrew to the district HQ with heavy losses. At 0600H
the 118th went to Phuoc Vinh to pick up 1st Bn, 7th ARVN elements
to insert into Dong Xoai. The VC around the LZ appeared as friendly
civilians so the lift held their fire during the initial insert.
While the helicopters escaped with relatively little damage, the
ARVNs were defeated within twenty minutes. The air strip at the
Thanh Loi Plantation was selected for the second insertion. A
herd of cattle on the strip forced the 14 ship CA to land short
of their original spot and this proved to be a great blessing
when a huge mine exploded in that spot. The LZ came under heavy
mortar and AW fire. One Huey was destroyed and the entire crew
died. A daring rescue by three ships lead by the 118th CO got
what was left of the Americans in the SF camp out in the early
afternoon. Only a Cambodian CIDG force remained in the fight while
air strikes pounded the entire area throughout the day and late
in the afternoon the 118th inserted the 52d ARVN Rangers into
the soccer field. Initially things were rough for this force but
by night fall, they had retaken the SF camp, the ARVN compound,
and most of the town. For the next several days, the 118th brought
more troops in and lifted hundreds that required medical attention.
On the 13th, SF A-311 Det arrived and began rebuilding the camp.
SF 2LT Charles Q. Williams received the Medal of Honor for his
actions in this battle. Losses on the SF side were 5 US, 3 LLDB,
and 40 CIDG KIA; 16 US, 4 LLDB, and 54 CIDG WIA; 124 CIDG MIA
while the VC lost 134 confirmed although hundreds more were probably
carried away

Note:All details for this page were taken from
the 145th CAB after action report, available from the VHPA web
page; "First in Vietnam--A
Pictorial History of the 145th Combat Aviation Battalion"
published by the Battalion Information Office, Edited
by CPT John W. Gordy, Jr.,1966-67, Dai Nippon
Printing Co., LTD, Tokyo, Japan, and other sources and
e-mails as indicated. Any additions or changes are welcome and
should be directed to the Webmaster.

Stars and Stipes Article about Dong Xoai Battle

Copy of Stars and Stripes Article courtesy
Fred Holder

who was a Crew Chief on 2nd Platoon aircraft.

(1965)

U.S. Newspapers from Vietnam

(All are courtesy of Joe D.
Newsome)

Left is Joe D. Newsome outside newly constructed
mine field at Dong Xoai following the battle.

Battle of Dong Xoai Remembered

While at the 145th CAB reunion at Ft. Rucker,
AL in June 2007, a group of men, who survived the Battle of Dong
Xoai on the ground, gave a "Thank You" tribute. It was
because of the helicopter crews of the 118th AHC and 197th AHC
that they were all rescued and saved that fateful 10 June, 1965,
42 years before. Below is tthat presentation as given by those
men to the attendees at the 145th CAB reunion.

A-342 Remembers
June 2007
Reunions should be just that - opportunities to renew old friendships,
catch up on news of families, remember those with whom we served,
tell a few stories and catch a beer or two-or more. Military
reunions tend to be in a class by themselves because of shared
adventure during stressful times and the death of comrades in
combat and while performing other duties. Military reunions also
have a forward looking component-the hope for good health and
prosperity for unit members, past, present, and future and the
sincere hope that our soldiers prevail in whatever missions they
are asked to undertake and return safely to their families.

For the surviving members
of Detachment A-342, 5th Special Forces Group, and some of you
here for this event, your reunion allowed us to renew relationships
that began forty-two years ago this month at Dong Xoai, Vietnam;
relationships that have grown stronger in recent years as we
have found more time to communicate and have great new tools
with which to do so.

For those of us on
the ground during the Battle of Dong Xoai on 9-10 June 1965,
this reunion has provided a wonderful opportunity to thank the
"sky soldiers" who fought that fight and supported
us so magnificently-gun ships and "slicks" that provided
aerial fire support, evacuated the Special Forces and Seabee
defenders, and brought to the Battle the reinforcements that
stabilized the area. The 145th Combat Aviation Battalion pulled
our "fat out of the fire," and we are ever mindful
of that fact.

Detachment A-342 had
been at Dong Xoai for only a few days when the attack occurred,
as was typical on a dreary night of rain and fog. The attack
that began shortly before midnight on 9 June 1965 was anticipated,
in a sense. Some of you will recall that Song Be, a few miles
to the north, had been hit earlier in the month and that a strong
Viet Cong presence was believed to have remained in the area
between War Zones C and D. Several days before the attack, supporting
Seabees arrived without important construction equipment and
Civilian Irregular Defense Corps (CIDG) troops were air landed
on short notice with families, pigs and chickens.

Every combat veteran
can speak with experience about conflict intensity, a very personal
concept. The Viet Cong in the Dong Xoai attack were judged to
be in excess of two regiments. We all had a good look at Charlie's
arsenal-antiaircraft weapons, 75 mm pack howitzers, recoilless
rifles, mortars, rocket propelled grenades, machine guns galore,
flamethrowers, satchel charges and lots of AK-47s. All involved
in a Ft. Benning-like Mad Minute that stretched into 24 hours.

Casualties were significant
during the 9-10 June timeframe-Special Forces, Seabees, aircrew,
U.S. Advisors, Vietnamese forces, civilians, and thankfully "beaucoup
VC," as we said back then. The situation on the ground was
such that no medivac or resupply missions were flown and initial
Vietnamese efforts to reinforce the area by air were met by overwhelming
enemy resistance. In an act of heroic proportions, three helicopters
from the 118th Assault Helicopter Company and one from the 197th
Armed Helicopter Company descended from nowhere about 1400 hours
on 10 June and plucked the remaining defenders from two artillery
positions in the Dong Xoai District Headquarters.

Over the past several
years we had the pleasure of corresponding with Pete Booth and
Bill Fraker, and reviewing notes on the battle-what aircrew were
doing and what we were doing on the ground as our activities
became intertwined. We are grateful to Pete, Bill and all of
you for allowing us to participate in your reunion and meet others
who were involve in the fighting at Dong Xoai and Thuan Loc-pilots,
door gunners and ground crewmen. We greatly admire the skill
and courage demonstrated by elements of the 118th and 197th.
Those of you who have been saved by others will understand the
meaning of our thanks.